1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an extruder assembly and more specifically to a pivotable ram section or subassembly in a double ram feed assembly for an extruder assembly for extruding plastic material.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Heretofore extruder assemblies and more specifically extruder assemblies for extruding plastic material have included an inlet feed hopper positioned above a slot in a barrel of the extruder assembly. A screw is received in the extruder assembly. Rams are mounted for movement in the hopper along upper side wall surfaces of include side wall plates forming part of the hopper for the purpose of pushing lumps of molten plastic material (batches of pigmented polyethylene) into and through the slot and into engagement with the rotating screw which moves the material toward the forward end of the barrel of the extruder assembly.
From time to time, a ram becomes jammed because of material accumulating between the under surface of the ram and the upper side wall surface of the hopper on which the ram is movable. Also from time to time parts of the ram need to be cleaned, repaired or replaced. When this occurs, the side wall plates of the hopper and the ram need to be disassembled. Because of the weight of the rams and plates, material handling equipment is needed to handle the components of the ram and the plates as the hopper and ram are disassembled. This is awkward, time consuming and expensive.
In view of the material handling equipment and the man power needed for maintenance, the extruder assembly downtime is high and the cost for cleaning and maintaining the rams is quite expensive.
As will be described in greater detail hereinafter, the extruder assembly of the present invention includes a double ram feed assembly comprising two pivotable ram sections or subassemblies. Each section includes a ram, a ram plate forming a side wall of the hopper, and an articulated assembly which permits the ram assembly to be moved between an upper releasably-fixed-in-place position where the ram plate and ram form part of a double ram feeding hopper assembly and a lower position where the ram plate and ram are in a generally horizontal, unobstructed position permitting easy access to the ram and ram plate for the cleaning and maintenance thereof.